Summary

The general objective of the QADoc project is to build capacity for high-quality, university-based research in Africa, enabling countries to better drive their own research agendas and address societal and economic challenges.

Establishing quality standards for doctoral training and research management has become a priority in many African nations. National quality assurance (QA) systems are emerging across the continent, with the aim not only to regulate the sector but also to foster results-based, quality improvements in African universities. However, in Francophone Africa, many national QA agencies are relatively new and lack the necessary standards, tools, procedures, and resources to assess the quality of research and doctoral education—despite the pressing need for such frameworks.

The QADoc project targets three countries—Senegal, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—bringing together their ministries of higher education, national QA agencies, and two universities per country with the ambition to enhance research capacity and quality. This collaborative approach ensures that the standards developed are co-created by governments and institutions, leveraging the expertise of European QA agencies and universities.

Pilot evaluations of research and doctoral schools will be conducted in six partner universities to test the evaluation standards and processes, with recommendations for scaling these efforts across Africa. Mozambique is associated with the project to explore broader applications. Best practices, training, and evaluation expertise will be provided by QA agencies from Portugal and Spain, along with additional support from universities in France, with the ultimate aim of strengthening research and doctoral education collaboration between Africa and Europe.